


Heart of Gold, Eyes of Silver

by stormyemerald



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, Friendship/Love, Platonic Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:48:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22422118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stormyemerald/pseuds/stormyemerald
Summary: Annie Leonhart would soon leave for the Military Police. She was ready to continue with her mission, and leave behind the cadets she had trained with for years. She was strategic in distancing herself from them, and was ready to move on until one encounter made her long for what could have been.
Relationships: Armin Arlert/Annie Leonhart
Kudos: 40





	Heart of Gold, Eyes of Silver

**Author's Note:**

> hello everyone! this is my first post on here, and i’m really excited to share it. its a short one shot of my interpretation of Annie’s inner conflict.

Annie slumped onto her bed, one hand navigating through her hair as she removed the tie that was holding it in place. Her short blonde hair fell just to the base of her neck, grazing the top of her hood. She slid her cadet jacket off of her shoulders and stretched her arms and shoulders as if she had been carrying something heavy all day. It was dark outside, well into the evening, and Annie let her thoughts wander over the past few days as she had some free time. She thought of the ceremony where she had placed in the ranks of the top ten cadets as she was leaving for headquarters tomorrow. She placed number four just under Bertholdt but just above Eren. She could have done better but she didn’t care enough to exceed the bare minimum of what she had to do. She just had to ensure a spot in the top ten so that she could make it into the Military Police. She thought of the events that took place in Trost and her thoughts lingered on Eren. Didn’t see that coming, she thought as she pondered over how he had one of the titan powers. She recalled how she and Reiner had killed those two titans that one crazy commander was studying. She thought of all these things that had taken place over a matter of a few days, and how their plan is only just beginning as the last big step was when they initially infiltrated the walls all those years ago.  
Tomorrow Annie would go to headquarters leaving Reiner and Bertholdt to discuss the rest of the missions without her as she was to handle this part on her own. She expected to leave quietly, and didn’t plan on saying any sentimental goodbyes to any of the other cadets as she would be leaving most of them behind. What she didn’t expect however was a gentle knock on the door to her bunk. Annie figured it was one of the cadets she shared the bunk with, coming to sleep in one of the other beds that filled the room. Annie had just gotten up to fold her jacket and put it on the shelf, which she did just before walking over to the door. She twisted the handle and pulled it open to a boy, a bit taller than her, with blond hair not that much shorter than hers, standing in the door frame. 

“Hey, Annie.” The boy said with a gentle tone and slightly awkward but genuine smile. 

“Oh uh... Hey, Armin.” Annie said stoically even though she was quite surprised to see him knocking on her door. “Do you need something?” She asked in her usual neutral toned voice while her intense eyes unintentionally pierced through Armin’s soft gaze.

“No, I...I actually wanted to talk to you before you leave for the Military Police.” Armin stuttered still with that smile so kind it almost irritated her. However, Armin was one of the few people who actually made an effort to get to know Annie even if all the efforts were denied, that didn’t mean she didn’t appreciate it silently.

“Oh. Alright. What is it that you want to say?” Annie said.

“I wanted to say goodbye... you know, before you go?” Armin replied to Annie, returning her cold gaze with his warm one. 

“I see. Well then, goodbye too, I guess.” Annie said dismissively but made no physical effort to end the conversation as the door remained just as open as when the conversation started. She glanced down to his hand, which was holding a tattered book. 

Armin spoke. “I also wanted to give you something, maybe it can provide some entertainment if you don’t make any friends up there.” Armin laughed nervously, only realizing after the fact that his statement almost sounded like he didn’t expect Annie to make any friends, which was half true but not the main reason he wanted to give her the book. Luckily, Annie didn’t register the statement the way Armin feared it sounded. 

“Oh... thank you.” Annie said as Armin raised the book and held it out to her. She took the book, which wasn’t too thick or too thin, and she read the cover over. It seemed to be a book with many different small stories. Annie found that she was flattered by the gesture and a small smile began to form on her lips. “Do you want to come in?” Annie asked and was shocked by her own sudden hospitality. “It would be a waste of your time if you leave already after coming over here to see me.” Annie said as she was trying to make it seem that she didn’t really care if he stayed or not, even if she really did.

Armin blinked rapidly for a moment as if shocked by Annie actually wanting to continue a conversation. “Sure!” He said maybe with a little too much excitement. Annie stepped aside and held her arm out in a gesture that communicated to come in. Armin stepped past Annie and briefly scanned the room. The other beds and their respective shelves had some kinds of belongings on them, and Armin assumed the bed near the shelve with no personal belongings was Annie’s .

“Excuse the mess over there, my roommates are a couple of slobs.” Annie thought of how she referred to them as her ‘roommates’ because she didn’t even know their names. “I don’t even know their names.” She said blankly. Armin chuckled at her statement which caught Annie by surprise as she hadn't meant for it to be funny. She slowly smiled herself as she walked past Armin and sat onto her bed. To fill any awkward silence she began to skim through the book Armin brought for her. “Seems interesting.” She said but her natural voice was so neutral that it made it seem like she didn’t think it was interesting at all, even if that wasn’t true. That didn’t discourage Armin, however. “Oh it really is!” Armin sat directly next to Annie and his sudden excitement startled her. It was like she lit a fire in him as he began to explain the book with great determination and animation. “It’s actually one of my favorites, my grandpa used to read it to me all the time when I was younger…” And Armin kept going, explaining his favorite stories from the book with astonishing passion, as Annie sat and truly listened, her normally cold and stoic expression riddled with interest and she nodded as Armin rambled with purpose. 

Armin and Annie chatted for a while after that, both exchanging stories from their childhoods, which resulted in Annie hearing endless embarrassing stories now knowing a little too much about Eren. She chuckled as he spoke so animatedly. Annie did share a few moments from her childhood, however she had to keep some vague as she couldn’t reveal everything about herself as much as Armin and their meaningful conversation made her want to. She got to know Armin better than she had in her years of knowing him in just one night. 

Annie didn’t want the conversation to end because she knew she would return to that emotionless girl only fixed on her mission as soon as it ended. But she knew there was no other way.

Armin ended up leaving later that night but before he did he wrapped Annie in a quick and meaningful hug, which startled her, as she hadn’t felt like anyone truly cared about her since she arrived at these walls. She hesitantly returned the hug, as she was still in a bit of a shock because of the gesture. “Goodbye, Annie.” Armin said quietly, his soft expression tinged with sadness. “Bye, Armin.” Annie replied.

Armin left, and Annie laid down on her bed as she felt tears in her eyes, thinking how she and Armin clicked so well as if she soon wouldn’t be drenching her hands in his comrades’ blood, thinking of how her life could be if she didn’t have this responsibility. 

Annie made a promise to herself. She was going to make sure that she didn’t harm Armin. She knew she would be killing plenty of other soldiers, but she gave this to herself.  
Sparing one person shouldn’t be a problem, right? She thought to herself. I’m still going to complete this stupid mission, I’m still going to have to kill plenty of them.  
Annie was grateful she hadn’t gotten to know any of the other cadets, as this kind of thing was exactly what could hinder her mission. 

A month later Annie was in her titan form, tracking down Eren Jaeger and killing everyone in her way. Except for one instance, in which she knelt down to a hooded person in hopes that it was Eren, and the bloodshed would be over. She lifted the person’s hood delicately and studied their face. The usually kind eyes of a blond haired boy stared at her in absolute terror. She looked away, and slowly stood before taking off to continue her search, hoping her willingness to show mercy wouldn’t return to her and hoping she wouldn’t cross paths with Armin another time.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading :) i have a few more aot one shots that i may post at a later date.


End file.
